Signal compression has been performed in both the analog domain and in the digital domain. Digital data compression can be performed in either a lossy manner or in a lossless manner. Various data compression methods have been performed. Each such data compression method is well-suited for sequences of data having certain specific intra-sequence relationships. For example, image compression schemes can leverage the nature of images, wherein most images exhibit relatively low-frequency spatial variations, especially locally within sub-regions of the image. Some data compression techniques are well suited to compressing sequences of data that have repeating sub-sequences.
Some systems are designed to frequently monitor system parameters. Some such system parameters are measured using transducers and A/D converters. Frequent monitoring of such system parameters can generate a large number of data elements. Storing such large numbers of data elements can require large amounts of memory. Systems that communicate large numbers of data elements can require large bandwidth channels. Large amounts of memory and large bandwidth channels can each incur high costs, and require high operating-power levels. Compressing such frequently monitored system parameters could be beneficial in terms of reducing power, memory requirements, and costs, among other savings.